Baba au Rhum – a bundt no knead rich yeast coffee cake with dried fruit, soaked in rum syrup and filled with whipped cream and fresh strawberries.
Thank you Red Star Yeast for sponsoring this recipe.
The first time I heard the name Baba-au-Rhum I was wondering what language is that and what on Earth is it. It took a small bite to make it clear for me it was something I would forever love and have probably eaten a fair amount of it throughout my childhood.
Baba-au-rhum is a rich cake, a no knead yeast cake, baked in a bundt form and soaked with a rum flavored sugar syrup. It is said that its origin are sometimes during the 18th century when the exiled king of Poland soaked a dried cake in an alcoholic drink.
A couple of years later, this soaked cake was beginning to make its appearance in French patisseries and slowly being introduced in other European cuisines as well.
Growing up in Romania my mom made these small cakes soaked in sugar syrup and topped with whipped cream. Savarines.
While making this Baba-au-Rhum memories from the childhood rolled in front of my eyes. I saw the small kitchen in the tiny apartment I grew up with the stove right at the entrance and us, peeking through the window door until the cakes were done.
Then the waiting part. I was never a patient person and waiting for the cake to cool down, watching my mom slowly pouring syrup on top of the cake and, if we were behaving, we got to lick the beaters once the cream was whipped.
Once my baba au rhum was done and cooled I thought to myself, why not fill it with some cream, just like my Mom used to? I had some heavy cream and fresh strawberries in the fridge, no excuse not to make it even more irresistible.
The trick is not to overly soak the cake in syrup before slicing it, otherwise it will break into pieces. In the end mine was fully soaked, but I added poured some syrup over the sliced cake, making it easier to put it back together once the cream and strawberries were spread over the bottom layer.
The recipe comes from Red Star Yeast. I didn’t do many adaptations. As usual, I reduced the amount of yeast allowing my dough to rise and develop flavors over a longer period of time. Also added dried blueberries instead of currants and halved the rum sugar syrup, well halved the amount of sugar and water, not the rum.
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For similar recipes check our Red Star Yeast collection of recipes.
This recipe is sponsored by Red Star Yeast. Opinions are and always will be mine.
Holy cow, that is so lovely. I am a fan of anything with strawberries and cream inside!
Gorgeous cake, Roxana! I love the addition of cream and strawberries! Pinning!
So pretty, Roxana! I love that you soak this in a rum syrup. Hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day! 🙂
My mom made a Baba-au-Rhum at Christmas every year. A couple times she used a tad too much rum (the real stuff, not the extract) and us kids could barely eat it let alone be around the fumes. Ah the memories created in a European household, eh? 🙂
I love what you did with filling the cake with cream and fruit. That was genius. (I can be there by late evening.)
Love its pale blonde color and can imagine the flavor bursts throughout it! YUM!!!
This looks fantastic and incredibly moist! Can’t wait to try it!
Just beautiful, Roxy! I love Baba au Rhum…and, appreciate that you added dried blueberries to the dough. Brilliant! With strawberries and cream, what is not to love? Perfect for spring special occasions! Pinning to group boards! xo
This is an incredible looking dessert. I love how it’s cut in half and filled with cream and strawberries. It looks very inviting xx
This looks so different and delicious!
Thanks for sharing the recipe xx
Oh, my. You are a genius for adding the strawberries and whipped cream. Delicious!
Oh my! Can I please have this cake all to myself!?! Sounds absolutely divine!!
Roxana, this cake looks beyond delicious! I wish I could have a big slice of this right now! Happy Mother’s day girlie!
Baba-au-rhum has been on and off my to-bake list for years – I keep forgetting about it for some reason. Yours look delightful! And not too difficult. 🙂
Your cake looks delicious. Strawberries, cream, and a rum-soaked cake sounds like a winner to me.
Wow, that cream-filled layer looks delicious. Now I’m going to have dreams about munching on this cake.
I ma polish and I had no idea ablut origin of this cake 😉
Wow Roxana, this is so pretty and so unique. I love ethnic specialties and it’s so fun to know that you grew up eating this fabulous looking sweet treat. It makes it even better picturing you watching your mom put on the finishing touches. What a great way to show off seasonal berries!
So pretty! What a perfect dessert for summer.
It’s my first time learning this cake, but I love the look and story about your mom. Cream and strawberries in between makes it even better. 🙂
Your baba is so pretty, Roxy. I love cakes that are soaked a little in rum…and can only imagine how amazing your yeast version is. That cream filling is incredible!